While forward John Tavares is willing to wait on signing a contract extension with the New York Islanders, people around the league believe the franchise is right to be patient with him, according to the New York Post's Brett Cyrgalis.

Tavares, 26, has one year and a $5.5 million cap hit and has been eligible to sign a contract extension since July 1, however the former No. 1 pick has not yet signed a long-term deal.

People around the league, according to Cyrgalis, believe the Islanders are right not to panic in this situation. Tavares reportedly prefers to stay with the Islanders, however several other teams could pursue him if he tests the open market. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2018. 

Tavares recorded 28 goals and 38 assists in 77 games for the Islanders last season. He underwent surgery on his hand in April and is expected to be fully ready for the 2017-18 season.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

The Islanders announced they promoted Greg Cronin to associate coach. 

Cronin had served as an assistant coach with the Isles for the past three seasons. He also served as an assistant coach from 1998-2003 before taking over as head coach of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders affiliate, from 2003-2005.

Before his reunion with the Islanders in 2014, Cronin was an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs. He helped lead the Leafs to the playoffsf during the 2013-14 season. 

Cronin also has international experience, serving as an assistant coach for Team USA at the World Hockey Championsihops in 2011 and 2012. 

Islanders captain John Tavares is reportedly still not ready to commit to the Islanders, Art Staple of Newsday reported earlier this month.

To that end, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes:

"I've said a million times that I believe John Tavares's first choice is to stay with the Islanders. But, if he does decide to leave, why do I have visions of him taking less money to play in Tampa Bay?"

Brian Erni, SNY.TV:

Andy Graziano and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

Brian Erni, SNY.TV:

Andy Graziano and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

Goalie Christopher Gibson and the New York Islanders agreed to a one-year, two-way deal, the team announced Friday.

Gibson, 24, played four games with the Islanders in the 2015-16 season, going 1-1-1 with 11 goals allowed, an .882 save percentage and a 3.40 goals against average.

Last season, he played seven games for the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, giving up 16 goals and recording a .912 save percentage and a 2.52 goals against average.

The Nassau and Suffolk legislatures will host a bicounty news conference Friday to urge the Islanders to return to Nassau Coliseum, according to Newsday's Robert Brodsky and Jim Baumbach. 

Nassau legislature wrote to Islanders' owners Jonathan Ledecky and Scott Malkin saying "give the idea of returning the team to its true home every consideration possible." Nassau Events Center put $165 million into the Coliseum to increase its capacity to host an NHL team. 

"We have been assured by NEC that they are very willing to make necessary modifications to accommodate an NHL team," the Nassau letter read. 

There has been opposition to the Islanders potential return as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said "we do not view Nassau Coliseum as a suitable option for the Islanders." Experts say that the Coliseum would also need to add luxury suites, and increase the size of the locker room to go along with adding seats. 

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

Brian Erni and I continue our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September 2017. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward and oh, yeah, that pesky John Tavares extension.

The Islanders are hiring another former teammate of head coach Doug Weight in Kelly Buchberger, the team announced Tuesday.

Buchberger served as head of player personnel for the Oilers last season. He was also an assistant coach for the team for six years. 

This is the second ex-teammate Weight has brought in from his days with the Oilers. Luke Richardson, who has been head coach of AHL Binghamton for the past four years, was also hired.

The Islanders have announced they agreed to a two-way contract with G Krister Gudlevskis. 

The deal is one year, worth $650K/$200K depending on which league he is playing in. The Islanders acquired Gudlevskis in a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning who received F Carter Verhaeghe.

Drafted by the Lightning in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Draft, Gudlevskis has played in three NHL games, earning a 1-0-1 recorded with a .959 save percentage. He was also selected to the AHL All-Star Game during the 2015-16 season.

Gudlevskis went 15-10-7-4 (W-L-OTL-SOL) last season with the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning's AHL affiliate. He posted a 2.65 goals-against average and .897 save percentage for the year. 

The Islanders have hired Fred Brathwaite as their goalie coach, the team announced Monday.

Brathwaite replaces Mike Dunham. who had been part of the organization for 11 years.

"Fred's experiences at just about every level of hockey make him a tremendous addition to our hockey club," Islanders coach Doug Weight said in a statement. "Not only has he had a solid NHL career, but he's also worked with some of the top net-minder's coming out of Hockey Canada. He's ready for this next step and we look forward to him working with our organization's goalies."

Brathwaite, 44, played in the NHL from 1993 to 2004, with stints with the Oilers, Flames, Blues, and Blue Jackets.

Islanders captain John Tavares could've signed an extension with the Islanders at noon on Saturday when free agency began, but he is not yet ready to commit, reports Art Staple of Newsday.

The eight-year, $106 million deal Connor McDavid is reportedly close to signing with the Oilers is one of the factors delaying a resolution between the Islanders and Tavares.

"With all the leverage in any negotiations with the Islanders, given how clearly the team has made it that they want Tavares locked up, an eight-year deal worth between $10-11 million per year always seemed like the end result." writes Staple. 

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

Andy Graziano and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

Islanders defenseman Calvin de Haan filed for arbitration on Wednesday, the NHLPA announced. 

Newsday's Arthur Staple reports the Islanders and de Haan are having discussions about a new deal. 

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV:

Brian Erni and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 New York Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September 2017. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward and oh, yeah, that pesky John Tavares extension.

Brian Compton and Mike Carver bid farewell in the final Point Blank Podcast. The guys look back at a wild week in Islanders Country, discussing the Jordan Eberle-Ryan Strome deal, the rumors surrounding Matt Duchene, Travis Hamonic's trade to Calgary, and the expansion draft deal to protect the team's forwards.

Click below to listen

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin has signed a three-year extension to remain with CSKA Moscow in the KHL, reports Russian hockey reporter Tomas Vorcak. 

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV: 

A relatively low-risk gamble by Garth Snow doesn't appear to be working out as originally planned, as Sorokin, in what seems to be a money grab, decides to extend his KHL contract by three years.

Already signed for 2018 anyway, and with no current NHL-KHL transfer agreement in place, it seems that it will be some time, if ever, Islanders fans can see if the hype was real with what was assumed to be the goaltender of the future. Trade value, at this point, is lowered as well.

The Islanders have acquired goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis from the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Carter Verhaeghe. 

Forward Justin Williams has signed a two-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team announced.

The Islanders had reached out to Williams, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday.

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

Andy Graziano and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

Andy Graziano and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

Brian Erni and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

The Islanders and Avalanche have not been close to a deal for C Matt Duchene, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. 

Staple believes that the deal would have been completed if the offer had been closer. Islanders GM Garth Snow had an offer with D Travis Hamonic, the team's 2018 first-round pick, and a prospect on the table. However, Snow would not include 20-year-old center Mathew Barzal in the deal. 

At the June 23 NHL Draft, Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said he didn't like any of the deals offered for Duchene.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

One of the most fluid and insanely unpredictable weeks in recent NHL memory is now over with the conclusion of the 2017 NHL entry draft. Prior to that, we had the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft, awkwardly held in the middle of an awards gala, and some good old fashioned wheeling-and-dealing.

General managers have now returned home to celebrate their victories, or size up their losses, with five days before unrestricted free agency, which begins this Saturday, July 1.

The Islanders have extended one-year qualifying offers to restricted free agents Calvin de Haan, Adam Pelech, Christopher Gibson, and Connor Jones, the team announced Monday.

By extending qualifying offers to the above players, the Islanders retain negotiating rights.

De Haan, 26, had five goals and 20 assists in 82 games last season while earning $2.5 million.

Pelech, 22, had three goals and seven assists in 44 games last season while earning $832,500 during what was his second season in the league.

The New York Islanders selected Robin Salo (second round), Benjamin Mirageas (third round), Sebastian Aho (fifth round), Arnaud Durandeau (sixth round) and Logan Cockerill (seventh round) in the 2017 NHL draft.

Salo, 18, is a Finnish defenseman who put up one goal and 15 assists in 65 games with Sport Vaasa of the Finnish Liiga last season.

Mirageas is an 18-year-old American defenseman bound for Providence College. He helped the Chicago Steel win the USHL championship while posting 10 assists in 14 games.

The Islanders have traded Travis Hamonic to Calgary for multiple draft picks.

The Islanders receive:

• 2018 First Round Pick
• 2018 Second Round Pick
• 2nd Round Pick in 2019 or 2020

The Flames receive:

• Hamonic
• 4th round pick in 2019 or 2020

On the conditions of some of the picks, Bob McKenzie tweets, "If CGY sends NYI a 2nd in 2019, the 4th the Flames get back is also in 2019. If CGY sends 2nd in 2020, the 4th rder they get back is 2020."

The Florida Panthers have named former Islanders head coach Jack Capuano an associate coach on head coach Bob Boughner's staff, the team announced Friday.

"I am extremely excited to join the Florida Panthers organization," said Capuano. "I want to thank Vinnie Viola and Doug Cifu for putting their trust in me and Dale for giving me an opportunity to work with Bob, one of the great young minds in the game. My familiarity with the Panthers has grown a lot throughout the past few years and I'm eager to work with such a young, talented group of players."

Capuano served as head coach of the Islanders from 2010-2017, earning a 227-192-64 record. The Islanders made three playoff appearances under Capuano.

"I am thrilled to welcome Jack to our coaching staff," said Boughner "He is a knowledgeable and experienced voice to have behind our bench that will work well with our young players."

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

Brian Erni and I begin our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point.

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

The Islanders have acquired RW Jordan Eberle from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for C Ryan Strome, the Isles announced Thursday.

"I'm super excited to be a part of the Islanders organization," Eberle said, according to James Duthie of TSN. "Also grateful for the chance the Oilers gave me coming into the NHL."

Eberle, who said he's relieved the trade is done, called John Tavares a "generational player" and said he was looking forward to playing with him.

The Islanders begin the season on October 6 against the Blue Jackets in Columbus, followed by their home opener the next night.

View the full schedule here.

Mark those calendars! ��✔️



See you October 7th at Barclays Center. �� #IsItOctoberYet https://t.co/k9SF98SuQG pic.twitter.com/853zAwZxaa

Read More

• Share:

The Islanders traded forward Mikhail Grabovski, defenseman Jake Bischoff, a 2017 first-round pick and a 2019 second-round pick to have the Las Vegas Golden Knights select goaltender J-F Berube. 

Grabovski, who had 44 points in his first two seasons in New York, has not suited up in a game for the Islanders since March 2016 after he suffered a concussion. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. 

Bischoff, a seventh-round pick in 2012, had three points in six games with the AHL's Sound Tigers last season after finishing his time at the University of Minnesota. 

Islanders owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin are looking to sell a 15 percent stake in the team, according to the NY Post's Josh Kosman.

They have not had any luck in selling the stake, with the team valued at $500 million, as potential buyers are skeptical. The pitch is telling potential buyers they are looking to diversify.

As of now, the Islanders may need to find a new home following the 2018-19 season, as they have a mutual out-clause with Barclays Center, and the venue doesn't want to keep the team as tenants.

Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic is the 2017 recipient of the NHL's Foundation Player Award, which is presented to a player "who applies the core values of (ice) hockey-commitment, perseverance and teamwork-to enrich the lives of people in his community"

The New York Islanders are reportedly likely to lose forward Mikhail Grabovski to the Las Vegas Golden Knights as part of expansion draft trades, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple.

The Islanders only put three forwards -- John Tavares, Anders Lee and Andrew Ladd -- on the protected list, as Jason Chimera, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck were among the 25 players they made available.

New York will reportedly send its first-round pick to Vegas in order to prevent the Golden Knights from taking one of their forwards. There will be a third component to the deal, according to Staple, however it is not yet known what it would be.

Yesterday, the NHL created a little drama when they announced, at 9:58 a.m., that protected lists for each team for the upcoming Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft, set for 10 a.m., would be pushed back 30 minutes to 10:30 a.m.

The head scratching move, for which no reason was ever officially given, started the wave of social media activity that would not slow for all of Father's Day.

There was plenty of venom spewed towards Islanders general manager, Garth Snow, when the lists were finally made available to the public as New York was the only team in the entire league to protect five defenseman and only three forwards, two of whom were automatic, captain John Tavares and winger Andrew Ladd.

The Islanders will give up a first round pick in order to keep the Las Vegas Golden Knights from taking one of New York's forwards in the NHL expansion draft, according to a report from Darren Dreger of TSN.

Forwards Jason Chimera, Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome are among the 25 players the Islanders have made available for the Golden Knights, who must pick one player from each team and take a minimum of 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies in the expansion draft.

John Tavares, Anders Lee, and Andrew Ladd were the only three forwards the Islanders decided to protect in the expansion draft.

John Tavares, Anders Lee and Andrew Ladd are the only three forwards the New York Islanders will protect in the NHL expansion draft.

Forwards Jason Chimera, Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck and Brock Nelson are among the 25 players the Islanders have made available for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, who must pick one player from each team and take a minimum of 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies in the expansion draft.

The Islanders will also protect goalie Thomas Greiss and defensemen Johnny Boychuk, Travis Hamonic, Nick Leddy, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock.

Las Vegas will submit its draft selections by 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

The Islanders are near the top of the list of teams interested in trading for Edmonton's RW Jordan Eberle, according to a report from NHL insider Darren Dreger. 

There are six or seven teams that have interest in acquiring Eberle, according to Dreger, with the Islanders and the Avalanche seeming to be the frontrunners.

"What's the return? Does Edmonton get a winger back, like a third line player and a smaller deal so they can absorb the cap relief in moving Eberle's contract out?" asked Dreger on TSN1260. "Or can they be patient and finally (Islanders GM) Garth Snow goes, 'OK, I need that player just to keep John Tavares happy and keep him in the mix here long-term, so I'm willing to give up on Travis Hamonic.' I think there's a bit of gamesmanship that is happening in this process."

The Islanders will begin their 2017-2018 preseason schedule with a game at NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, against the Philadelphia Flyers, the team announced Thursday morning.

The game will take place on Sunday, September 17 at 1pm.

The preseason opener will mark the first time the Islanders have played in its former home since the end of the 2014-2015 season.

With the Stanley Cup Final in the rear view mirror, all of the soon-to-be 31 NHL teams are prepping for an Expansion and Entry Draft frenzy, and Darren Dreger thinks the Islanders are a team to watch.

Dreger said on Tuesday on Montreal's TSN 690 that the Islanders are one of the most intriguing clubs leading up to the two drafts, and GM Garth Snow does have a preference on what defense man he'd like to hold onto. 

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise. De Haan had a splendid year last year, and Hamonic had a down one, so it's better to sell high on Calvin than low on Travis. Plus, Hamonic is an alternate captain and one of the most vocal leaders in the dressing room. I'm sure the Isles would love to hang onto both if they could. I just don't see how they will...

The Islanders do not have interest in signing F Ilya Kovalchuk, reports Arthur Staple of Newsday.

Kovalchuk wants to return to the NHL next season, and the Devils have given him and his agent permission to seek a deal with other teams, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN.

New Jersey still holds the forward's rights as Kovalchuk left the NHL in the middle of his contract with the Devils.

The Islanders have signed F Steve Bernier to a two-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract, the team announced Friday.

Bernier, 32, had 16 goals and 10 assists in 33 games with Bridgerport of the AHL last season.

In 633 career games with the Islanders, Devils, Panthers, Canucks, Sabres, and Sharks, Bernier has 105 goals and 125 assists. 

Newly hired Islanders assistant coach Scott Gomez knows his first foray into coaching won't be easy and that he has a lot to learn.

Gomez recently spoke to Yahoo's Sean Leahy and told the Puck Daddy writer that it's his responsibility to learn every position on the ice so that he can be a complete coach.

"You've got to know every position or what the hell's the point?" said Gomez, whose deal with the Islanders is for two years. "What happens if I have to answer a defensive question? Believe it or not I've had coaches, you ask them a question, 'Oh, I don't know.' 'What do you mean I don't know? You're the coach.' 'Oh, I'm the offensive coach.' That never made sense to me."

Gomez also said that that part of his philosophy is to treat every player the same, whether he's the captain or a fourth liner.

Reports have indicated that the Islanders are in the market for a top-six forward, and blue line mainstay Travis Hamonic could be a player New York deals to make it happen. Will the Isles trade a core piece away to improve up front? SNY's Brian Erni and Andy Graziano discuss...

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

There have been some murmurs that the Islanders are getting ready to deal a defensemen to procure a top-six forward, and one name that has popped up is Travis Hamonic. Should the Isles trade Hamonic, under team control for another three seasons, to make that forward upgrade?